Lichfield

Lichfield's population grew in the 10 years leading up to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in work life, marriage and housing tenure.

The population passed 100,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Lichfield increased by 8.0%, from just over 93,200 to 101,000.

The addition of about 7,400 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Lichfield was home to, on average, 2.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Lichfield

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Lichfield increased by three years, from 41 to 44 years.

This affluent area had a higher average age than the West Midlands and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 4,400 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 14% of people in Lichfield are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Lichfield by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Lichfield, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.6% to 10% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that had only one person remained close to 24%, while the percentage of households in Lichfield which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 47% to 40%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. The improvement brought health in Lichfield close to the national average 9.9% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Lichfield increased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lichfield, the West Midlands and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The rate of self-employment increased in Lichfield, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 7.4% to 8.5%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Lichfield working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16% to 12% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 13% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Lichfield decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Lichfield, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Lichfield

The percentage of Lichfield residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.0% to 3.9% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 8.1%, while the percentage of Lichfield residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.5% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in Lichfield

The percentage of single people in Lichfield increased from 23% to 27% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in two (55%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 60% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Lichfield that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.3% to 11%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 29% in 2001 to 34% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30% to 35%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Lichfield, but at a slower rate than in Cannock Chase (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Lichfield).

In Lichfield, the proportion of private renting increased from 5.5% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Cannock Chase increased from 5.0% to 12%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of privately rented homes increased from 7.3% to 14%.

The rate of social housing in Lichfield remained close to 13%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 79% to 76%.

Private renting in Lichfield increased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lichfield, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Lichfield residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.1% to 5.1% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of Lichfield residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Lichfield decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Lichfield, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households in Lichfield without children increased from 59% to 60% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 30% in 2001. The percentage of households in Lichfield with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 11%.

The proportion of households without children increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (which remained close to 59%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Lichfield

The number of people in Lichfield from the White ethnic groups increased from about 91,000 in 2001 to about 97,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 98% to 97%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the West Midlands (from 89% to 83%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Lichfield from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 890 in 2001 to just over 1,600 in 2011 (from 1.0% to 1.6%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just under 500 to about 1,000 (from 0.5% to 1.0%).

About 480 people (0.3%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 240 in 2001 (0.5%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Lichfield decreased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Lichfield by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Lichfield residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.0% to 1.4% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.5%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Lichfield remained close to 1.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Lichfield by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Lichfield

The number of people in Lichfield that described themselves as Muslim increased from about 250 in 2001 to just under 450 in 2011. This represents a change from 0.3% to 0.5% of the local population.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from this religious group increased from 4.1% to 6.7%, while across England the percentage went from 3.2% to 5.2%.

The number of people in Lichfield that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 75,000 in 2001 to just over 69,000 in 2011 (from 80% to 69%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from about 11,000 to just over 23,000 (from 12% to 23%).

Just over 6,400 people (6.6%) did not state their religion, up from about 6,100 in 2001 (6.4%).

The population who identified as Muslim in Lichfield remained close to 0.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Lichfield by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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